Semantik/Kdissert

kdissert is a mindmapping tool for supporting the creation of complex documents: dissertations, theses, presentations, and reports. It supports pictures and features several document generators: LaTeX reports, LaTeX slides (based on Prosper and Beamer), OpenOffice.org documents, HTML, and plain text.

A mindmap is a multicolored and image centered radial diagram that represents semantic or other connections between portions of learned material. For example, it can graphically illustrate the structure of a thesis outline, a project plan, or the government institutions in a state. Mindmaps have many applications in personal, family, educational, and business situations. Possibilities include note-taking, brainstorming, summarizing, revising and general clarifying of thoughts.

Though this application shares some similarities with general-purpose mindmapping tools like FreeMind or Vym, the very first goal of kdissert is to create general-purpose documents, not mindmaps.

Submit the title and link (including http://) to an article pertaining to Semantik/Kdissert and it will appear in the Web Links section of the right banner. Contact us here if an entry needs to be removed.

It runs well under Xandros 4.0 and produces a menu item and icon, when the stable sarge package was installed.

It was originally developed for students to use to "organize" papers...

One BIG PLUS is that the site has a flash "tutorial"...which quickly gives you most of what you can do...the only problem I had was that when it reached the end the browser locked...but that was ok...

I have, of late, been using it as a business app to organize information about a project.

To put it quite simply, one can make an object and insert text or a picture or link in it and then create a subsidary object which is automatically linked to it.

As one creates subsidary objects they are linked heirarchically and by time.

The document is saved in a unique format which can be opened and changed. It also exports as a .png and opened automatically in Kview for me. It also has 8 export filters, latex article and report, latex slides, oo Writer and Impress, HTML and plain text.

Interaction with the document is in the "working window" and associated text boxes for each of the boxes in the window, but, there is also a "tree" display which can be toggled to help one keep track of things.

There are several views which allow one to include a large amount of information, only part of which is shown in a particular box, but when the box is clicked the information is displayed and is immediately editable.

Several nice looking icons are included which can be quickly associated with a box and these serve as reminders of things which need attention, or possibly be deleted, etc.

A very simple thing which I have not seen in some other "mind map" programs is that one can "drag" the whole thing around on the screen, in many of the other programs one can, of course "move the screen", but not the objects.

All in all, this beats all hollow my former use of a "publisher" type program as a workaround. Laughing

If you are into "thinking outloud" as it were, ideas coming thick and fast, brainstorming etc. this should be a good program for you. Since the format is very clean and the symbology is intuitive, it is easy for people viewing either a paper printout or a screen view to understand. It is very quick, and very intuitive. Formatting is simple but effective, and the export functions are good.

It is also a quick way to keep track of project flow, but I don't know that I would want to use it for something like manufacturing or something which has to keep track of more than a few items..

Because it produces "printable objects" such as a .png, which can be converted to a .jpg, and it can export LaTeX(which I' ve not used), OO word and Impress and plain text or ascii(again I've not used), or HTML, one can e-mail an item and other workers can view it and comment, such as in a text file or on the document with "paint", or just in a web browser. Since I have a dual boot laptop, I can also have the document in the original program which can be manipulated during a conference. And It also lends itself to projections very well...